Happy New Year

It is just three days until New Year’s Eve. Whether you plan to attend a party or have a quiet celebration at home, the minis below might just help put you in the right mood.

The gentlemen most certainly would want to wear a top hat. Sylvia Rountree has just the ticket for them in her display at the 2013 show. http://www.dollscobbler.com

The gentleman could pick top hat and shoes from Sylvia Rountree

The ladies might be interested in going to a costume party, and thus perhaps a dress representing the 18th century European Royalty, from Mzia Dsamia of Small Creations, might appeal to their fancy. tbilisid@netscape.net

Dress of hand painted silk, jewelry made with Swarovski Crystals

For those who celebrate in the intimacy of their home, or who come home from a party needing to wind down, can’t you just see them relaxing in this vignette presented by Rainbow Hand and Kathy Tepper. All that is missing is the bottle of wine and the two glasses they are holding in their hands. This is from the Tepper's Modern Urban Elementz Collection. http://www.rainbowhandandkathy.com

Chairs by Paris Renfroe (PRD Miniatures) and
Bowl by Lars Mikkelsen, all at the Teppers' table

A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL WITH 2014 BRINGING MANY WONDERFUL MINIATURES!

"Winter Fantasy" Exhibit

"Winter Fantasy" is a delightful exhibit in 1:12 scale by exhibitor Caryl Lepelley. Doll is by Pat Boldt. Fox is by Ying Y-Wa of Pittsburgh, PA.

Jim Pounder, 2014 Academy Instructor

This week’s featured instructor for the 2014 Good Sam Academy of Miniatures is I.G.M.A. Artisan Jim Pounder. Jim specializes in sculpture and light fixtures, but also makes other items. He has taught both mold making and silver soldering at our Friday workshops. We are pretty sure there will be silver soldering at the Academy, but what else he will be offering must wait for a later date. You can be sure Jim will offer an excellent class with lots of fun as well. Jim's email is pounder@clarkston.com

Below are some samples of his work.

Y-Shaped Lamp with Quail Shades

Lamp from a basic soldering class

A dramatic bronze sculpture on a walnut base

Five of Jim's bronze sculptures

Club Christmas Exhibits, Part Two

This week we will continue to share the 2013 show exhibits that celebrated Christmas. Last week Christmas market stalls were offered. However, we have found one more of those, a lovely Nativity market stall put together by Meg Milani of the MiniAttics Club. After Meg’s market stall there will be some Christmas Carts that were NAME’s 2013 NAME Day projects made by miniaturists in a class in Morgan Hill.

We hope these pictures enhance your Christmas this year. Merry Christmas!

Nativity Scene Market Stall
by Meg Milani, Miniattics Club

Meg's research

Christmas Peddler Cart
by Laura Johnson, Miniattics Club

Christmas Cart
by JoAnne Conly, Through the Looking Glass Club

A Christmas Cart
by Monya Johnson, Through the Looking Glass Club

"Christmas Is The Reason"
by Ruth Heisch, Mini-Cals Club

Christmas Cart
by Brenda Hough, Mini-Cals Club

"Christmas for Sale" Left side of cart
by Barbara Adams, Through the Looking Glass Club

"Christmas for Sale" from the front
by Barbara Adams, Through the Looking Glass Club

"Christmas for Sale" Right side of cart
by Barbara Adams, Through the Looking Class Club

Christmas Kitchen Exhibit

"Christmas Kitchen" in 1:12 scale by Barbara Adams, San Jose, CA, member of Through the Looking Glass Miniature Club. "I repurposed the hutch from a NAME Day project and made the kitchen around it. I am fond of all things gingerbread and have been gathering for a long time. Creating this scene gave me the perfect place to use my collection."

Johannes Landman, 2014 Academy Instructor

Johannes Landman, master fine arts painter, will be instructing a class at the 2014 Good Sam Academy of Miniatures. Johannes is the acknowledged finest painter of old masters in the United States and Canada, and possibly in the world. His use of depth and illumination is unsurpassed. Below are four examples of his fine art. Johannes can be reached by email at
jilandman@telus.net


Portrait of Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts of America.
After Edward Hughes (1887)

"Henry, Duke of Gloucester"
After Adriaen Haddeman (Dutch circa 1653)

"Portrait of Rembrandt"
After Jan Lievens (Dutch c. 1629)

"Children at a Window" Trompe l'oeil
After Waldmuller (Austrian circa 1853)

Club Christmas Exhibits

 The 2013 Showcase of Miniatures (Good Sam Show) featured a number of exhibits celebrating a Christmas theme. The Miniattics Club, based in Redwood City, built market stalls from a kit designed by Lynn Miller, co-president of the club. Below are their offerings. All are 1” scale except Laura Johnson’s, which is two in 1:48, or quarter scale.

We so appreciate the club projects that are shared in our exhibit area. There will be more to come.

By Laura Johnson in Quarter Scale (1:48)

By Lynn Miller



By Hong McKensey



By Gerri Silberstein



By Marge Milani



By Brenda Hough

Kari Bloom, 2014 Academy Instructor

This week we are introducing our fifth 2014 Academy instructor, I.G.M.A. Fellow Kari Bloom. Kari started in miniatures making arts and crafts furniture, and became well known especially for her Morris Chair. Several years ago she added Retro and Modern furniture and accessories and what she calls “Cocktail Furniture”. Her MacKensie-Childs furniture is magnificent.

To learn more about the MacKensie-Childs style go to www.mackensie-childs.com for a fun read.

Below are some of the pieces Kari has done in the past. We can hardly wait to see what she offers at the Academy in 2014. Kari’s web site is under maintenance at the moment, but it is at www.minitonminiatures.com

Kari's amazing flower chairs

Kari's fan furniture

Kari's bonnet chairs. Wow!

Nell Corkin, 2014 Academy Instructor

Nell was introduced last month as one of our 2014 Academy teachers. Nell specializes in 1:144 scale miniatures, and will be a dealer at our 2014 show. We borrowed pictures from her web site to share with you, since they tickle our fancy and are in line with this month's theme. We will be featuring products and displays that celebrate Christmas. We are starting with two of Nell's pictures.

Nell's web site is www.nellcorkin.com to see more of her work.

That 1" scale cat in the 1:144 scale Christmas scene
is gonna be in a heap of trouble when found.

"A Little Christmas"
Nell's dome scene was taught in Chicago in 2011
and is available on her site as a kit.

Exhibits

Miniaturists shared over 80 of their exhibits with us at the 2013 show. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did. Exhibit photos courtesy of Connie Sauve, show Exhibit Chairman.

Marie Gattis made this scene as a Christmas gift for the Mini-Cals
Club gift exchange. Marie said the hardest part was finding
the correct size tree.

This Gingerbread Kitchen was presented by Barbara Adams.
The hutch was repurposed from another earlier creation.

"Winter Fantasy" is a Caryl Lepelley creation.
The doll is by Pat Boldt, the fox by Ying Y. Wa

The picture above and the two below give a sense of what
you see when you look at the show's exhibits.
Our thanks to all who exhibit at the Good Sam Show.

From The Chairman

We hope you are enjoying our after show blog presentations. With this group of posts we will have shared 4 of our 8 2014 Good Sam Academy of Miniatures instructors with you. Each week in December we will share the talents of the other four instructors with you.

We will not be posting Thanksgiving Saturday, as we will be spending the weekend with family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Mark Murphy

Our fourth instructor for the 2014 Good Sam Academy of Miniatures is IGMA Fellow Mark Murphy, a remarkable furniture maker. Mark can be found at shows with Mary Grady O’Brien, as they collaborate on many of their pieces.

Rumor has it that Mark is considering teaching a Windsor chair at the Academy. This would involve carving the seat, turning spindles and legs, as well as assembling the chair. There is lots to be learned while building a Windsor chair. Below are pictures of some of Mark’s chairs to give you an idea of what he might end up teaching. Mark’s email is mmurphyor@gmail.com



1800's New England Settle with carved seat and lathe turned spindles.



1780's American Sack-Back Chair. Rug by Patricia Richards.

1770's American Comb-Back chairs.

Tine Krijnen

Bookbinder and printer Tine Krijnen, Netherlands, offered two new Do It Yourself book kits at the 2013 show. Both are offset printing (quality used for magazines and books) and are available on her website under Doe-het-zelf pakketten. Tine also teaches Friday workshops that are very popular at our shows. Tine has been at 2 of our shows now.

To order either or both of the kits below send an email to Tine Krijnen at info@miniatuureboekbinden.nl Pay Pal payments are accepted. Be sure to specify your language of preference, as the kits are available in English, German, Danish and Dutch. Tine's web site is www.miniatuureboekbinden.nl

This Cookbook Kit is for the advanced miniaturist and teaches how to sew a bookblock.
All five middle sections are printed. The food preparation table and mixing bowl
are not included. Cost is 10 Euros plus mailing.

The Witch's Kit has pages with printed cobwebs in the corners and will bind nine
witch's notebooks with different colored covers. A Pentagram is included.
There are printed pages to make spell, spider and skull parchment scrolls.
Not included is the tiny salamander in the photo. Cost is 10 Euros plus mailing.

Exhibits

Kim Walter exhibited Rapunzel’s House, which was commissioned from Rik Pierce. Kim plans to furnish this three story house with furniture from Michael Mortimer in England. Michael specializes in Tudor and Medieval furniture. Kim Walter has served on the show committee for many years, and is currently co-chairman of the show.

Front of Rapunzel's House

Second Story Door and Balcony

Second Floor Balcony Detail

Third Story Door and Balcony.
"Oh Rapunzel, let down your hair"

Rapunzel's House, front and right side

Rear of Rapunzel's House